1
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Fernandez MK, Sinha M, Zidan M, Renz M. Nuclear actin filaments - a historical perspective. Nucleus 2024; 15:2320656. [PMID: 38384139 PMCID: PMC10885181 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2320656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The view on nuclear filaments formed by non-skeletal β-actin has significantly changed over the decades. Initially, filamentous actin was observed in amphibian oocyte nuclei and only under specific cell stress conditions in mammalian cell nuclei. Improved labeling and imaging technologies have permitted insights into a transient but microscopically apparent filament network that is relevant for chromatin organization, biomechanics of the mammalian cell nucleus, gene expression, and DNA damage repair. Here, we will provide a historical perspective on the developing insight into nuclear actin filaments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Molika Sinha
- Gynecologic Oncology Division, School of Medicine Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Mia Zidan
- Gynecologic Oncology Division, School of Medicine Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Malte Renz
- Gynecologic Oncology Division, School of Medicine Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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2
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Ulferts S, Lopes M, Miyamoto K, Grosse R. Nuclear actin dynamics and functions at a glance. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261630. [PMID: 38563209 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Actin is well known for its cytoskeletal functions, where it helps to control and maintain cell shape and architecture, as well as regulating cell migration and intracellular cargo transport, among others. However, actin is also prevalent in the nucleus, where genome-regulating roles have been described, including it being part of chromatin-remodeling complexes. More recently, with the help of advances in microscopy techniques and specialized imaging probes, direct visualization of nuclear actin filament dynamics has helped elucidate new roles for nuclear actin, such as in cell cycle regulation, DNA replication and repair, chromatin organization and transcriptional condensate formation. In this Cell Science at a Glance article, we summarize the known signaling events driving the dynamic assembly of actin into filaments of various structures within the nuclear compartment for essential genome functions. Additionally, we highlight the physiological role of nuclear F-actin in meiosis and early embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Ulferts
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology I, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Massimo Lopes
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kei Miyamoto
- Faculty of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Robert Grosse
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology I, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies (CIBSS), 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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3
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Chen P, Mishra S, Prabha H, Sengupta S, Levy DL. Nuclear growth and import can be uncoupled. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar1. [PMID: 37903226 PMCID: PMC10881164 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-04-0138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
What drives nuclear growth? Studying nuclei assembled in Xenopus egg extract and focusing on importin α/β-mediated nuclear import, we show that, while import is required for nuclear growth, nuclear growth and import can be uncoupled when chromatin structure is manipulated. Nuclei treated with micrococcal nuclease to fragment DNA grew slowly despite exhibiting little to no change in import rates. Nuclei assembled around axolotl chromatin with 20-fold more DNA than Xenopus grew larger but imported more slowly. Treating nuclei with reagents known to alter histone methylation or acetylation caused nuclei to grow less while still importing to a similar extent or to grow larger without significantly increasing import. Nuclear growth but not import was increased in live sea urchin embryos treated with the DNA methylator N-nitrosodimethylamine. These data suggest that nuclear import is not the primary driving force for nuclear growth. Instead, we observed that nuclear blebs expanded preferentially at sites of high chromatin density and lamin addition, whereas small Benzonase-treated nuclei lacking DNA exhibited reduced lamin incorporation into the nuclear envelope. In summary, we report experimental conditions where nuclear import is not sufficient to drive nuclear growth, hypothesizing that this uncoupling is a result of altered chromatin structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Sampada Mishra
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071
| | - Haritha Prabha
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071
| | - Sourabh Sengupta
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071
| | - Daniel L. Levy
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071
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4
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Hara Y. Physical forces modulate interphase nuclear size. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2023; 85:102253. [PMID: 37801797 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
The eukaryotic nucleus exhibits remarkable plasticity in size, adjusting dynamically to changes in cellular conditions such as during development and differentiation, and across species. Traditionally, the supply of structural constituents to the nuclear envelope has been proposed as the principal determinant of nuclear size. However, recent experimental and theoretical analyses have provided an alternative perspective, which emphasizes the crucial role of physical forces such as osmotic pressure and chromatin repulsion forces in regulating nuclear size. These forces can be modulated by the molecular profiles that traverse the nuclear envelope and assemble in the macromolecular complex. This leads to a new paradigm wherein multiple nuclear macromolecules that are not limited to only the structural constituents of the nuclear envelope, are involved in the control of nuclear size and related functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Hara
- Evolutionary Cell Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida 1677-1, Yamaguchi City, 753-8512, Japan.
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5
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Chen P, Mishra S, Levy DL. Nuclear growth and import can be uncoupled. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.19.537556. [PMID: 37131802 PMCID: PMC10153267 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.19.537556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
What drives nuclear growth? Studying nuclei assembled in Xenopus egg extract and focusing on importin α/β-mediated nuclear import, we show that, while nuclear growth depends on nuclear import, nuclear growth and import can be uncoupled. Nuclei containing fragmented DNA grew slowly despite exhibiting normal import rates, suggesting nuclear import itself is insufficient to drive nuclear growth. Nuclei containing more DNA grew larger but imported more slowly. Altering chromatin modifications caused nuclei to grow less while still importing to the same extent or to grow larger without increasing nuclear import. Increasing heterochromatin in vivo in sea urchin embryos increased nuclear growth but not import. These data suggest that nuclear import is not the primary driving force for nuclear growth. Instead, live imaging showed that nuclear growth preferentially occurred at sites of high chromatin density and lamin addition, whereas small nuclei lacking DNA exhibited less lamin incorporation. Our hypothesized model is that lamin incorporation and nuclear growth are driven by chromatin mechanical properties, which depend on and can be tuned by nuclear import.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Sampada Mishra
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Daniel L. Levy
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
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6
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Focal Adhesion Protein Vinculin Is Required for Proper Meiotic Progression during Mouse Spermatogenesis. Cells 2022; 11:cells11132013. [PMID: 35805097 PMCID: PMC9265697 DOI: 10.3390/cells11132013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The focal adhesion protein Vinculin (VCL) is ascribed to various cytoplasmic functions; however, its nuclear role has so far been ambiguous. We observed that VCL localizes to the nuclei of mouse primary spermatocytes undergoing first meiotic division. Specifically, VCL localizes along the meiosis-specific structure synaptonemal complex (SC) during prophase I and the centromeric regions, where it remains until metaphase I. To study the role of VCL in meiotic division, we prepared a conditional knock-out mouse (VCLcKO). We found that the VCLcKO male mice were semi-fertile, with a decreased number of offspring compared to wild-type animals. This study of events in late prophase I indicated premature splitting of homologous chromosomes, accompanied by an untimely loss of SCP1. This caused erroneous kinetochore formation, followed by failure of the meiotic spindle assembly and metaphase I arrest. To assess the mechanism of VCL involvement in meiosis, we searched for its possible interacting partners. A mass spectrometry approach identified several putative interactors which belong to the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway (UPS). The depletion of VLC leads to the dysregulation of a key subunit of the proteasome complex in the meiotic nuclei and an altered nuclear SUMOylation level. Taken together, we show for the first time the presence of VCL in the nucleus of spermatocytes and its involvement in proper meiotic progress. It also suggests the direction for future studies regarding the role of VCL in spermatogenesis through regulation of UPS.
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7
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Gunasekaran S, Miyagawa Y, Miyamoto K. Actin nucleoskeleton in embryonic development and cellular differentiation. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2022; 76:102100. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2022.102100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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8
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The Cytoskeleton and Its Roles in Self-Organization Phenomena: Insights from Xenopus Egg Extracts. Cells 2021; 10:cells10092197. [PMID: 34571847 PMCID: PMC8465277 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-organization of and by the cytoskeleton is central to the biology of the cell. Since their introduction in the early 1980s, cytoplasmic extracts derived from the eggs of the African clawed-frog, Xenopus laevis, have flourished as a major experimental system to study the various facets of cytoskeleton-dependent self-organization. Over the years, the many investigations that have used these extracts uniquely benefited from their simplified cell cycle, large experimental volumes, biochemical tractability and cell-free nature. Here, we review the contributions of egg extracts to our understanding of the cytoplasmic aspects of self-organization by the microtubule and the actomyosin cytoskeletons as well as the importance of cytoskeletal filaments in organizing nuclear structure and function.
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9
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Machida N, Takahashi D, Ueno Y, Nakama Y, Gubeli RJ, Bertoldo D, Harata M. Modulating dynamics and function of nuclear actin with synthetic bicyclic peptides. J Biochem 2021; 169:295-302. [PMID: 33169153 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvaa130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Actin exists in monomeric globular (G-) and polymerized filamentous (F-) forms and the dynamics of its polymerization/depolymerization are tightly regulated in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Various essential functions of nuclear actin have been identified including regulation of gene expression and involvement in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). Small G-actin-binding molecules affect F-actin formation and can be utilized for analysis and manipulation of actin in living cells. However, these G-actin-binding molecules are obtained by extraction from natural sources or through complex chemical synthesis procedures, and therefore, the generation of their derivatives for analytical tools is underdeveloped. In addition, their effects on nuclear actin cannot be separately evaluated from those on cytoplasmic actin. Previously, we have generated synthetic bicyclic peptides, consisting of two macrocyclic rings, which bind to G-actin but not to F-actin. Here, we describe the introduction of these bicyclic peptides into living cells. Furthermore, by conjugation to a nuclear localization signal (NLS), the bicyclic peptides accumulated in the nucleus. The NLS-bicyclic peptides repress the formation of nuclear F-actin, and impair transcriptional regulation and DSB repair. These observations highlight a potential role for NLS-linked bicyclic peptides in the manipulation of dynamics and functions of nuclear actin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanako Machida
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1, Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-0845, Japan
| | - Daisuke Takahashi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1, Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-0845, Japan
| | - Yuya Ueno
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1, Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-0845, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Nakama
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1, Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-0845, Japan
| | - Raphael J Gubeli
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Davide Bertoldo
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Masahiko Harata
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1, Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-0845, Japan
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10
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Miyamoto K, Harata M. Nucleoskeleton proteins for nuclear dynamics. J Biochem 2021; 169:237-241. [PMID: 33479767 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvab006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The eukaryotic nucleus shows organized structures of chromosomes, transcriptional components and their associated proteins. It has been believed that such a dense nuclear environment prevents the formation of a cytoskeleton-like network of protein filaments. However, accumulating evidence suggests that the cell nucleus also possesses structural filamentous components to support nuclear organization and compartments, which are referred to as nucleoskeleton proteins. Nucleoskeleton proteins including lamins and actin influence nuclear dynamics including transcriptional regulation, chromatin organization and DNA damage responses. Furthermore, these nucleoskeleton proteins play a pivotal role in cellular differentiation and animal development. In this commentary, we discuss how nucleoskeleton-based regulatory mechanisms orchestrate nuclear dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei Miyamoto
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, 930 Nishimitani, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Masahiko Harata
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Aramaki Aza-Aoba 468-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-0845, Japan
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11
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Okuno T, Li WY, Hatano Y, Takasu A, Sakamoto Y, Yamamoto M, Ikeda Z, Shindo T, Plessner M, Morita K, Matsumoto K, Yamagata K, Grosse R, Miyamoto K. Zygotic Nuclear F-Actin Safeguards Embryonic Development. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107824. [PMID: 32610125 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
After fertilization, sperm and oocyte nuclei are rapidly remodeled to form swollen pronuclei (PN) in mammalian zygotes, and the proper formation and function of PN are key to producing totipotent zygotes. However, how mature PN are formed has been unclear. We find that filamentous actin (F-actin) assembles in the PN of mouse zygotes and is required for fully functional PN. The perturbation of nuclear actin dynamics in zygotes results in the misregulation of genes related to genome integrity and abnormal development of mouse embryos. We show that nuclear F-actin ensures DNA damage repair, thus preventing the activation of a zygotic checkpoint. Furthermore, optogenetic control of cofilin nuclear localization reveals the dynamically regulated F-actin nucleoskeleton in zygotes, and its timely disassembly is needed for developmental progression. Nuclear F-actin is a hallmark of totipotent zygotic PN, and the temporal regulation of its polymerized state is necessary for normal embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Okuno
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Wayne Yang Li
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Yu Hatano
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Atsushi Takasu
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Yuko Sakamoto
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Mari Yamamoto
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Zenki Ikeda
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Taiki Shindo
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Matthias Plessner
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Albertstrasse 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Kohtaro Morita
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Kazuya Matsumoto
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Kazuo Yamagata
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Robert Grosse
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Albertstrasse 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; CIBSS-Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestr. 18, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Kei Miyamoto
- Graduate School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan.
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12
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Oda H, Kato S, Ohsumi K, Iwabuchi M. Lamin B receptor-mediated chromatin tethering to the nuclear envelope is detrimental to the Xenopus blastula. J Biochem 2021; 169:313-326. [PMID: 33169160 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvaa123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, chromatin is tethered to the nuclear envelope (NE), wherein inner nuclear membrane proteins (INMPs) play major roles. However, in Xenopus blastula, chromatin tethering to the NE depends on nuclear filamentous actin that develops in a blastula-specific manner. To investigate whether chromatin tethering operates in the blastula through INMPs, we experimentally introduced INMPs into Xenopus egg extracts that recapitulate nuclear formation in fertilized eggs. When expressed in extracts in which polymerization of actin is inhibited, only lamin B receptor (LBR), among the five INMPs tested, tethered chromatin to the NE, depending on its N2 and N3 domains responsible for chromatin-protein binding. N2-3-deleted LBR did not tether chromatin, although it was localized in the nuclei. We subsequently found that the LBR level was very low in the Xenopus blastula but was elevated after the blastula stage. When the LBR level was precociously elevated in the blastula by injecting LBR mRNA, it induced alterations in nuclear lamina architecture and nuclear morphology and caused DNA damage and abnormal mitotic spindles, depending on the N2-3 domains. These results suggest that LBR-mediated chromatin tethering is circumvented in the Xenopus blastula, as it is detrimental to embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruka Oda
- Group of Developmental Cell Biology, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Satsuki Kato
- Group of Developmental Cell Biology, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Keita Ohsumi
- Group of Developmental Cell Biology, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Mari Iwabuchi
- Group of Developmental Cell Biology, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
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13
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Ulferts S, Prajapati B, Grosse R, Vartiainen MK. Emerging Properties and Functions of Actin and Actin Filaments Inside the Nucleus. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2021; 13:cshperspect.a040121. [PMID: 33288541 PMCID: PMC7919393 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a040121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recent years have provided considerable insights into the dynamic nature of the cell nucleus, which is constantly reorganizing its genome, controlling its size and shape, as well as spatiotemporally orchestrating chromatin remodeling and transcription. Remarkably, it has become clear that the ancient and highly conserved cytoskeletal protein actin plays a crucial part in these processes. However, the underlying mechanisms, regulations, and properties of actin functions inside the nucleus are still not well understood. Here we summarize the diverse and distinct roles of monomeric and filamentous actin as well as the emerging roles for actin dynamics inside the nuclear compartment for genome organization and nuclear architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Ulferts
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology I, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bina Prajapati
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute for Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Robert Grosse
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology I, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany,Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies (CIBSS), 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Maria K. Vartiainen
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute for Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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14
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Heijo H, Shimogama S, Nakano S, Miyata A, Iwao Y, Hara Y. DNA content contributes to nuclear size control in Xenopus laevis. Mol Biol Cell 2020; 31:2703-2717. [PMID: 32997613 PMCID: PMC7927187 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e20-02-0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells adapt to drastic changes in genome quantity during evolution and cell division by adjusting the nuclear size to exert genomic functions. However, the mechanism by which DNA content within the nucleus contributes to controlling the nuclear size remains unclear. Here, we experimentally evaluated the effects of DNA content by utilizing cell-free Xenopus egg extracts and imaging of in vivo embryos. Upon manipulation of DNA content while maintaining cytoplasmic effects constant, both plateau size and expansion speed of the nucleus correlated highly with DNA content. We also found that nuclear expansion dynamics was altered when chromatin interaction with the nuclear envelope or chromatin condensation was manipulated while maintaining DNA content constant. Furthermore, excess membrane accumulated on the nuclear surface when the DNA content was low. These results clearly demonstrate that nuclear expansion is determined not only by cytoplasmic membrane supply but also by the physical properties of chromatin, including DNA quantity and chromatin structure within the nucleus, rather than the coding sequences themselves. In controlling the dynamics of nuclear expansion, we propose that chromatin interaction with the nuclear envelope plays a role in transmitting chromatin repulsion forces to the nuclear membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroko Heijo
- Evolutionary Cell Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida 1677-1, Yamaguchi City, 753-8512, Japan
| | - Sora Shimogama
- Evolutionary Cell Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida 1677-1, Yamaguchi City, 753-8512, Japan
| | - Shuichi Nakano
- Evolutionary Cell Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida 1677-1, Yamaguchi City, 753-8512, Japan
| | - Anna Miyata
- Evolutionary Cell Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida 1677-1, Yamaguchi City, 753-8512, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Iwao
- Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida 1677-1, Yamaguchi City, 753-8512, Japan
| | - Yuki Hara
- Evolutionary Cell Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida 1677-1, Yamaguchi City, 753-8512, Japan
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15
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Abstract
The size of the intracellular structure that encloses genomic DNA - known as the nucleus in eukaryotes and nucleoid in prokaryotes - is believed to scale according to cell size and genomic content inside them across the tree of life. However, an actual scaling relationship remains largely unexplored across eukaryotic species. Here, I collected a large dataset of nuclear and cell volumes in diverse species across different phyla, including some prokaryotes, from the published literature and assessed the scaling relationship. Although entire inter-species data showed that nuclear volume correlates with cell volume, the quantitative scaling property exhibited differences among prokaryotes, unicellular eukaryotes and multicellular eukaryotes. Additionally, the nuclear volume correlates with genomic content inside the nucleus of multicellular eukaryotes but not of prokaryotes and unicellular eukaryotes. In this Hypothesis, I, thus, propose that the basic concept of nuclear-size scaling is conserved across eukaryotes; however, structural and mechanical properties of nuclear membranes and chromatin can result in different scaling relationships of nuclear volume to cell volume and genomic content among species. In particular, eukaryote-specific properties of the nuclear membrane may contribute to the extreme flexibility of nuclear size with regard to DNA density inside the nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Hara
- Evolutionary Cell Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida 1677-1, Yamaguchi city 753-8512, Japan
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16
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Wesley CC, Mishra S, Levy DL. Organelle size scaling over embryonic development. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2020; 9:e376. [PMID: 32003549 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cell division without growth results in progressive cell size reductions during early embryonic development. How do the sizes of intracellular structures and organelles scale with cell size and what are the functional implications of such scaling relationships? Model organisms, in particular Caenorhabditis elegans worms, Drosophila melanogaster flies, Xenopus laevis frogs, and Mus musculus mice, have provided insights into developmental size scaling of the nucleus, mitotic spindle, and chromosomes. Nuclear size is regulated by nucleocytoplasmic transport, nuclear envelope proteins, and the cytoskeleton. Regulators of microtubule dynamics and chromatin compaction modulate spindle and mitotic chromosome size scaling, respectively. Developmental scaling relationships for membrane-bound organelles, like the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, mitochondria, and lysosomes, have been less studied, although new imaging approaches promise to rectify this deficiency. While models that invoke limiting components and dynamic regulation of assembly and disassembly can account for some size scaling relationships in early embryos, it will be exciting to investigate the contribution of newer concepts in cell biology such as phase separation and interorganellar contacts. With a growing understanding of the underlying mechanisms of organelle size scaling, future studies promise to uncover the significance of proper scaling for cell function and embryonic development, as well as how aberrant scaling contributes to disease. This article is categorized under: Establishment of Spatial and Temporal Patterns > Regulation of Size, Proportion, and Timing Early Embryonic Development > Fertilization to Gastrulation Comparative Development and Evolution > Model Systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase C Wesley
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
| | - Sampada Mishra
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
| | - Daniel L Levy
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
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Caridi CP, Plessner M, Grosse R, Chiolo I. Nuclear actin filaments in DNA repair dynamics. Nat Cell Biol 2019; 21:1068-1077. [PMID: 31481797 PMCID: PMC6736642 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-019-0379-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent development of innovative tools for live imaging of actin filaments (F-actin) enabled the detection of surprising nuclear structures responding to various stimuli, challenging previous models that actin is substantially monomeric in the nucleus. We review these discoveries, focusing on double-strand break (DSB) repair responses. These studies revealed a remarkable network of nuclear filaments and regulatory mechanisms coordinating chromatin dynamics with repair progression and led to a paradigm shift by uncovering the directed movement of repair sites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthias Plessner
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Robert Grosse
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Irene Chiolo
- Molecular and Computational Biology Department, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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18
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Ilicheva NV, Pochukalina GN, Podgornaya OI. Actin depolymerization disrupts karyosphere capsule integrity but not residual transcription in late oocytes of the grass frog Rana temporaria. J Cell Biochem 2019; 120:15057-15068. [PMID: 31081178 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.28767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Late diplotene oocytes are characterized by an essential decrease in transcriptional activity. At this time, chromosomes condense and form a compact structure named a karyosphere. The karyosphere of grass frogs Rana temporaria is surrounded by a fibrillar karyosphere capsule (KC). One of the main protein constituents of R. temporaria KC is actin. In this study, we used antibodies against different actin epitopes to trace different forms of actin in the KC. We also investigated the effect of F-actin depolymerization on the oocyte nuclear structures and transcription of chromatin DNA and rDNA in the amplified nucleoli. It was determined that disruption of actin filaments leads to chromosome shrinkage, nucleoli fusion, and distortion of the KC structure, but does not inhibit residual transcription in both the karyosphere and the nucleoli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadya V Ilicheva
- Institute of Cytology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Olga I Podgornaya
- Institute of Cytology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, Russia.,Saint Petersburg University, Saint Petersburg, Russia.,Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia
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19
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Hurst V, Shimada K, Gasser SM. Nuclear Actin and Actin-Binding Proteins in DNA Repair. Trends Cell Biol 2019; 29:462-476. [PMID: 30954333 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear actin has been implicated in a variety of DNA-related processes including chromatin remodeling, transcription, replication, and DNA repair. However, the mechanistic understanding of actin in these processes has been limited, largely due to a lack of research tools that address the roles of nuclear actin specifically, that is, distinct from its cytoplasmic functions. Recent findings support a model for homology-directed DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in which a complex of ARP2 and ARP3 (actin-binding proteins 2 and 3) binds at the break and works with actin to promote DSB clustering and homology-directed repair. Further, it has been reported that relocalization of heterochromatic DSBs to the nuclear periphery in Drosophila is ARP2/3 dependent and actin-myosin driven. Here we provide an overview of the role of nuclear actin and actin-binding proteins in DNA repair, critically evaluating the experimental tools used and potential indirect effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Hurst
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Faculty of Natural Sciences, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kenji Shimada
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Susan M Gasser
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Faculty of Natural Sciences, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
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20
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An actin-based nucleoskeleton involved in gene regulation and genome organization. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 506:378-386. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.11.206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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21
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Arbach HE, Harland-Dunaway M, Chang JK, Wills AE. Extreme nuclear branching in healthy epidermal cells of the Xenopus tail fin. J Cell Sci 2018; 131:jcs.217513. [PMID: 30131443 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.217513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Changes in nuclear morphology contribute to the regulation of complex cell properties, including differentiation and tissue elasticity. Perturbations of nuclear morphology are associated with pathologies that include progeria, cancer and muscular dystrophy. The mechanisms governing nuclear shape changes in healthy cells remain poorly understood, partially because there are few models of nuclear shape variation in healthy cells. Here, we introduce nuclear branching in epidermal fin cells of Xenopus tropicalis as a model for extreme variation of nuclear morphology in a diverse population of healthy cells. We found that nuclear branching arises within these cells and becomes more elaborate during embryonic development. These cells contain broadly distributed marks of transcriptionally active chromatin and heterochromatin, and have active cell cycles. We found that nuclear branches are disrupted by loss of filamentous actin and depend on epidermal expression of the nuclear lamina protein Lamin B1. Inhibition of nuclear branching disrupts fin morphology, suggesting that nuclear branching may be involved in fin development. This study introduces the nuclei of the Xenopus fin as a powerful new model for extreme nuclear morphology in healthy cells to complement studies of nuclear shape variation in pathological contexts.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E Arbach
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-3750, USA
| | | | - Jessica K Chang
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Andrea E Wills
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-3750, USA
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22
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Plessner M, Grosse R. Dynamizing nuclear actin filaments. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2018; 56:1-6. [PMID: 30193156 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2018.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
While it is long known that actin is part of the nuclear proteome, its properties and functions as regulated, functional and dynamically assembled actin filaments are only recently emerging. Thus, newly uncovered roles for intranuclear actin filaments are opening new perspectives on how the nucleus and its genomic content may be organized in particular with regard to a given stage of the cell cycle. Here, we summarize recent studies on actin filament polymerization and turnover within the nuclear compartment of mammalian cells. We emphasize and discuss novel findings, in which transient and dynamic nuclear actin filaments have been visualized in physiological contexts, and focus on aspects of signalling mechanisms, chromatin reorganization and DNA repair. Further, a better understanding of the spatiotemporal control of nuclear actin-regulating factors in mammalian cells will ultimately provide a more detailed view on how the nuclear F-actin cytoskeleton contributes to genome organization and nuclear architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Plessner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 2, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Robert Grosse
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 2, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
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23
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Javan GT, Salhotra A, Finley SJ, Soni S. Erythroblast macrophage protein (Emp): Past, present, and future. Eur J Haematol 2017; 100:3-9. [DOI: 10.1111/ejh.12983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gulnaz T. Javan
- Physical Sciences Department Forensic Science Program Alabama State University Montgomery AL USA
| | | | - Sheree J. Finley
- Physical Sciences Department Alabama State University Montgomery AL USA
| | - Shivani Soni
- Department of Biological Sciences California State University Fullerton CA USA
- Department of Biological Science Schmid College of Science and Technology Chapman University Irvine CA USA
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